Sheriff David Clarke on Why Stealing is Easier in California

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke discusses how shoplifting law changes in California are causing a spike in crime.

Business owners in the Golden State are complaining that a ballot measure is hurting business. A year and a half ago, the California shoplifting law changed so that any stolen item below $950 would be charged as a misdemeanor. Law enforcement says this may be a reason for a spike in crime.

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“When you normalize criminal behavior, you’re going to get more of it. When you punish criminal behavior, you’re going to get less of it,” said Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke to the FOX Business Network’s Stuart Varney.

According to Clarke, since the ballot measure was imposed, the ten largest cities in California have seen a 10% increase in violent crime and a rise in 9 of the 10 largest cities in property crime.

“They look at these individuals, these criminals, as victims now. They are no longer looked at as being a stain on civil life in the state of California… They feel sorry for them and they don’t want to stigmatize criminal behavior – but you have to keep criminal behavior stigmatized otherwise you’ll see a total collapse of the social order… The cops are now the bad guys and the criminals are the victims,” he said.